Podcasts: The Prescription for Health and Wellness

Once a niche corner of the digital world, the health and wellness podcast has reached new heights, where experts and industry enthusiasts share their insights, stories, and advice, empowering listeners to take charge of their health. According to Nielsen, the health and wellness podcast genre has grown +50% in the last five years.

Beyond increased brand visibility, podcast advertising offers several benefits that make it an attractive option for healthcare and pharmaceutical brands looking to diversify their marketing approach. These benefits include access to highly engaged audiences, targeted reach, brand credibility, authentic integration, and measurable ROI. According to a recent SiriusXM Media Soundboard Poll on Healthcare, our podcast listeners are 67% more likely to listen to the health podcast genre than the average American 18+. And with the SiriusXM Podcast Network, you’ll gain access to an extensive portfolio of podcasts across various genres, offering unmatched reach and precision targeting.

Podcasts: The Prescription for Health and Wellness

Podcast listeners are keenly aware of their health—95% say they actively strive to maintain their wellbeing and health, and 90% say they visited a doctor or healthcare professional within the past year. And considering that 43% of these listeners report that they or a member of their household has a chronic health condition, it’s understandable that they’re proactive in seeking specialized care and remaining vigilant about both their physical and mental wellbeing.

Podcast Listeners Prioritize Health: Types of Healthcare Specialists Visited in the Past Year

(Among podcast listeners who have visited healthcare facilities in the last 12 months)

• Primary care physicians: 75%

• Dentist: 64%

• Specialist (e.g., cardiologist, neurologist, OB/GYN, etc.): 46%

• Vision care: 42%

• Urgent care clinic: 20%

Weighing Their Options

Access to health insurance is crucial for maintaining both physical and mental wellbeing, and podcast listeners reflect this sentiment: 96% report having some form of health insurance, and two in three express satisfaction with their coverage. It's worth nothing, though, that one in three listeners plan to change their health insurance providers during the upcoming open enrollment period.

Podcasts offer healthcare advertisers a unique opportunity to engage directly with their intended audience. From host-read ads to predictive audience targeting, advertisers can reach consumers who are most inclined to be interested in and gain from the advertised services or products.

The Quest for Quality Care

Podcast listeners prioritize health and wellness, with 84% willing to travel as far as 60 miles for superior medical care. However, location is merely one of several key factors they evaluate when selecting a new healthcare provider.

Important Factors When Choosing a Healthcare Professional

• They accept my health insurance: 87%

• Location/proximity to my home: 77%

• I can trust and speak openly with them: 71%

• How quickly i can get an appointment: 69%

• I can see the same physician every time: 62%

• Ability to schedule an appointment online: 44%

• Ability to communicate with a doctor via online messaging: 36%

• Ability to have virtual/video visits via smartphones, computers, or tablets: 21%

The Wellness Journey: Committed to Health in Every Way

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers have embraced healthier habits, practices, and lifestyles. From fitness routines to dietary supplements and nutrition, podcast listeners continue to pursue ways to enhance their physical wellbeing.

Mental health is also a key component of our overall wellbeing and is intrinsically linked to physical health. When mental health declines, it can adversely affect physical health, increasing the risk of chronic diseases and a weakened immune system. Acknowledging the significance of mental health and actively engaging in practices to preserve it ultimately leads to a balanced, healthy, and satisfying life. Thus, podcast listeners have embraced different methods to support their mental health, with podcast listening being a widely utilized approach

Unleashing Your Wellness Potential Through Tech & Audio

The outlook for personal health is more promising than ever, as technology transforms our approach to health and fitness objectives. Podcast listeners leverage technology to enhance their wellness experience—over half (57%) monitor their health metrics using smartphones or wearable technology, and 63% utilize two or more health applications on their devices. These resources allow for a more tailored, engaging, and impactful fitness journey.

Audio has long been acknowledged for its various health advantages, including enhancing mood, boosting cognitive function, and reducing physical. Engaging with audio content like music or podcasts is an effective strategy to maintain mental and emotional wellbeing. And podcast listeners agree…

More Than Just Entertainment

• Agree that music has the power to heal and contributes to physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing: 86%

• Agree that music makes them feel better when feeling ill: 78%

• Agree podcasts make them feel better when feeling ill: 50%

Music and podcasts are more than just a way to pass the time—they're effective resources that can boost your well-being and improve your everyday life. For advertisers looking to reach consumers at scale, the SiriusXM Podcast Network is ready to assist.

Achieve Optimal Health for Your Brand With Podcasts

Health and wellness advertisers can find their way to success in the podcast world by focusing on authentic messaging, smart targeting, and engaging ad content. If you want to boost your brand’s presence and drive impactful results, let’s talk about what the SiriusXM Podcast Network can do for you.